WEST FRANKFORT- (Steve Dunford-franklincounty-news.com) I have a nose for games going OT. I was smelling it about the four minute mark. I was smelling double overtime down the stretch.
Kyle Hammers (23) slashes through the lane, as Andrew Sturgill (33) gets ready to set a pic, Keegan Thrash (35) has the ball at the top of the key for WF
Teams need a signature win to go on a roll. It happened Wednesday night at Max Morris Gym as the West Frankfort Redbirds picked up that win, as they pulled out a 52-50 win over the Carterville Lions Wednesday night.
The Redbirds handled Carterville’s full court press in the first half. Like against Christopher, Austin Glodich was on fire in the first half as he had 12 of his 18 points in the first half. The Redbird went to the locker room with a 27-21 lead.
Carterville came out of the locker room in a full court man to man and played it in the entire second half. The Redbirds had immediate trouble with it. The Lions took the lead around the five minute mark of the third quarter and it was a see saw battle the rest of the night.
The only coach in Southern Illinois that compares to coaching with the intensity that Carterville Coach Shane Hawkins does, is Cobden Coach Rhett Barke, who is a Carbondale attorney. I would want him as my lawyer. I love that style of coaching
Shane Hawkins coaches like he played in high school at Pinckneville, in college at SIU, and now as a coach. I asked him about going to the full court man to man in the second half he said “We just could not keep the intensity we had coming out the second half.” We had a couple tough losses this week.” The Lions fell to now 20-1 and state ranked in class 2A Eldorado 60-53 Monday night in a game that was closer than the final score. The rest of the conversation was about Christoper tomorrow night.
The Redbirds played more zone that I have ever witnessed a Kevin Toney coached team play. It was effective as big man Luke Ford, who coach Toney called a “full grown man” last night had only four points and was limited to three rebounds on the night.
The Redbirds shared the basketball very well on the night. I had them with fourteen assists with Andrew Sturgill and Kyle Hammers had four each.
Scotty Clinton came in and gave the Redbirds some key minutes in late in the third quarter when the Redbirds were in foul trouble.
The other beast in the post for Carterville Taylor Heil. I watched him play in junior high during my time living in Sesser. He tied Gloodich leading all scorers for 18. Brendan Beasley had 14 on the night. Both will be on my all tournament team ballot.
Along with Glodich’s 18, Noah Allen was Noah Allen on both ends off the floor had 16 on the night for the Redbirds.
The Redbirds improve to 8-8 on the year and will play either Marion or have a rematch in the with the Herrin Tigers. If they pull the task and upset Eldorado tonight they will play in the championship against whoever wins the Marion/Herrin game.
Carterville falls to 0-2 in the tournament and 10-8 on the season. They play another Franklin county team, the Christopher Bearcats at 5:30 p.m. tonight.
BOX SCORE:
WEST FRANKFORT (52) Glodich 8 0 2-4 18; Allen 5 1 3-4 16; Thrash 3 0 0-0 6; Hammers 1 1 0-0 5; Wolfe 3 0 1-5 4; Clinton 1 0 0-0 2 Sturgill 0 0 1-2 1; Clark 0 0 0-0 0
CARTERVILLE (50) Heil 8 0 2-3 18; Beasley 3 2 2-2 14; Jackson 1 1 0-0 5; Johnson 2 0 0-0 4 Ford 2 0 0-2 4; Moore 0 0 3-4 3; Valerius 1 0 0-0 2
SCORE BY QUARTERS
WEST FRANKFORT 15 12 12 6 7 – 52
CARTERVILLE 10 11 14 10 5 – 50
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